CLEARWATER — Indian Rocks Christian's Alex Winkle was among the county leaders in RBIs and home runs this past season. But the only all-star game he was selected for was Friday's private school matchup between Pinellas and Manatee/Sarasota Counties.

Winkle made the most of his opportunity, going 2-for-3 with a triple and a run scored. But it was not enough for the Pinellas all-stars, who lost to Manatee/Sarasota 17-2.

"The big thing with this game is that it was fun," said Winkle, who has signed with Hillsborough Community College. "There was no pressure, no worries. We could all just go out there and play. I was happy with the way I played, despite the loss."

This is the second year Northside Christian coach Raul Hernandez has organized the game. Last year, the Pinellas all-stars won.

"I wanted to put this game on to give the seniors at private schools in the county a chance to go out with a bang," Hernandez said. "It's one last opportunity to play in a high school game. And for many, this could be it for playing organized baseball."

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